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kitchen faucet

When I turn on my cold water it runs cold for a few seconds, turns to hot for about 20 seconds and returns to cold. I was told it was a cross bleed in the faucet. However, replaced the faucet and the same problem occurs.

Re: kitchen faucet

Originally Posted by dj1

More info needed.

Is this a new problem?
What kind of faucet are you using?
Look under the sink - are the supply flexes connected correctly?

Not really new.....but it wasn't always like this. The faucet is a
Delta. I had my kitchen remodeled so everything was installed by a plumber. I did mess up because I didn't check to see if I still had the problem before he left... But like I stated, this happened with two different faucets...

Re: kitchen faucet

Is this the only faucet in the house that does this? Do any of the others even seem to have a little extra warmth in the cold water after some time and then go back cold?

How close is the water heater to the kitchen? I mean like the other side of the house or the other side of the wall?

When you turn on the hot water, how long does it take for the water from the faucet to get hot? Is it about the same time as it does when you turn on the cold water?

Turn on the faucet full blast on cold, then on hot, is there a noticeable difference in the flow. If you are not sure, get a 2 qt pan and measure how many seconds it takes to fill it when the hot only is on full blast and then again when the cold only is on full blast.

If the water heater is next to the kitchen, look at the two pipes coming out the top of it, are they very close together or touching? Are they insulated individually?

Look under the sink, are the hot and cold pipes close together under there?

Re: kitchen faucet

This is the only faucet that does this. The water pressure is the same, cold or hot. When I turn on the hot, that is what I get. I've checked the hoses and the pipes and can't find anything wrong. The hot water heater is located in the basement. Like I said the faucet was changed out and all the plumbing was done by a plumber. I've lived here for almost 20 years and this problem just started about a year ago...

Re: kitchen faucet

Again, how close it the water heater to the kitchen? Is it directly underneath the kitchen?

Is the faucet a single handle faucet?

Was the previous faucet a single handle faucet?

Once again, are there any hot and cold pipe touching or in very close proximity? Do any hot and cold pipes share the same insulation? These are important questions so please don't answer that they are just fine.

New question, have you had any changes done to your home heating system, like a new heater or new ductwork?

And once more for this question, when you turn on the hot water, how long does it take for the water from the faucet to get hot? Is it about the same time as it does when you turn on the cold water?

Re: kitchen faucet

Like I said, the hot water heater is located in the basement about 10 feet right of the kitchen sink. The furnace is just right of the heater.

I can't find any pipes touching or sharing any insulation. The hot water pipes are insulated.

There has been no changes to the hot water heater of the duct work. I do have a furnace guy coming for the annual tune up and will ask him.

When I turn on the hot water it takes only seconds to get hot water. When I turn on the cold I get cool water for about 10 seconds, turns to hot (and I mean hot) for 25 seconds before returning to cold...

Re: kitchen faucet

You say the water heater is in the basement. It seems to me that maybe hot water is rising from the water heater into the cold water pipe.

Let the water sit for a few hours -- don't use any. Then go into the basement and feel the cold water pipe where it enters the water heater (usually it's the one on the right). If it feels warm, follow the pipe to see how far back it's warm. It is normal for it to feel warm for a foot or so.

If it is warm for a ways back, especially if back to to where the lines branch, the water heater may have a broken inlet dip tube. Normally, there is a tube on the inlet that directs the cold water to the bottom of the tank. This also helps prevent convection currents from making the hot water travel back into the cold line.

If the dip tube is intact, try installing heat traps to prevent heat loss into the cold water line.

The "Senior Member" designation under my name doesn't mean I know a lot, it just means I talk a lot.I've been a DIYer since I was 12 (thanks, Dad!). I have read several books on various home improvement topics. I do not have any current code books I can refer to. I was an apprentice plumber for two years.

Re: kitchen faucet

I agree with Fencepost on this. I was initially looking for the hot and cold pipes touching near the water heater because I once bought a house that did what you described in the kitchen, I found that sometime in the past as fixed a leak in one of the pipes by soldering it to the other pipe and wrapping insulation around them.

If what Fencepost says is true, you should also have this problem at all your faucets but you might not notice it for a couple of reasons, the other faucets are further away so that the water cools considerably before getting there and because of the distance, you don't often leave the cold water on long enough for the hot water to reach it.

You could test this by turning on a cold water tap and another faucet and wait for awhile to see if it gets warmer, then colder but it might take a half to a full minute to test this. That was the case in the house where I had this problem, the bathrooms were on the opposite side of the house, where the kitchen was right on the other side of the wall from the water heater. There are other reasons why you would not get this at other faucets, it really all depends on how the pipes are routed in your house.

You said this started about a year ago so the broken dip tube fits. If you had had any changes in the heating system, like running new hot water lines to your radiators, and the problem cropped up right after, then I'd be inclined to look there. If there had been any major plumbing work done just before the problem cropped up, then you'd want to look at that real close.

BTW, if your water heater is old, it might be getting about time for a new one anyway.